Two Christians in Iran told to recant faith: rights group

(WashingtonTV)—Two Iranian Christians were told to recant their faith during a hearing before a Tehran Revolution Court on Sunday, a Christian human rights group said on Monday.

The International Christian Concern [ICC] also called on Iran to free the two women – Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh – who have been held for over five months and denied access to medical care.

“We ask Iranian officials to free Maryam and Marzieh. Iran must respect their right to follow the religion of their choice,” said Jonathan Racho, ICC’s regional manager for Africa and the Middle East.

“In this century, it’s unconscionable for any country to force its citizens to adhere to any particular religion,” he added.

The Washington-based group said that Tehran deputy public prosecutor, Hassan Haddad, had told the women to recant their Christian faith, during yesterday’s hearing.

Asked if they were Muslims and had converted to Christianity, the women replied: “We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims.”

At the end of the hearing, Haddad told them to take time to consider returning back to Islam, at which they replied: “We have already done our thinking.”

After the hearing, the women were taken back to Tehran’s Evin Prison.

ICC said that Marzieh, 30, was suffering from pain in her spine, a tooth infection, and intense headaches.

If convicted of apostasy, the women could be sentenced to death.

According to Amnesty International, the two were originally arrested on charges of “acting against national security” and “taking part in illegal gatherings.”

Sources: International Christian Concern website, Amnesty International website